Chapter 24 The Movie Queen Gets Smashed
Lu Linchuan's fingers gently pressed against the plate of glistening prawns, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force. With his eyelashes lowered, he ruthlessly pushed the entire plate of prawns to the edge of the table, his movements light yet resolute, as if he were pushing away not just a plate of food, but also some suffocating memory.
"I'm tired, I want to go home and sleep." His voice was soft, yet it carried a weariness born of hardship. After saying this, he slowly closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a shadow beneath them, as if all life had been suddenly drained from him.
Huang Yifei paused slightly in her hand holding the spoon, which struck the porcelain bowl with a barely audible sound. She looked at her son's gaunt profile; his once spirited features were now nothing but sharp, weary lines.
“Xiao Lu,” she put down her spoon, her voice gentle and restrained, “if it’s because of what happened between me and your father…”
"Do you love me? Heh." Lu Linchuan suddenly sneered, his laughter laced with self-mockery and sharp pain. "You all pushed me away. You're all happy that I'm going to Boston. It's not like everyone's just going their own way." His eyes were icy, as if he were looking at a room full of strangers. "I'm going back."
Sitting in the corner, Assistant Xiao Wang shifted uneasily, his gaze darting back and forth between Huang Yifei's sorrowful face and his young master's pale and weak body.
“I’ve booked a room for you,” Huang Yifei said, lightly wiping her hands and exchanging a glance with her assistant. “You’ll be staying here for the next few days. You can’t eat, and you can’t have any more injections.” She stood up, her tone calm but authoritative. “Take the young master to the hotel next door.”
Lu Linchuan didn't refute, but silently lowered his head, letting the others push his wheelchair away. However, when he passed the bowl of pork rib and lotus root soup, his gaze involuntarily lingered for a moment, his eyes filled with an indescribable complex emotion.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh." Huang Yifei quickly composed herself, picked up the spoon again, and tried to make her voice sound more relaxed. "I've been filming all this time, and I haven't seen Lin Chuan in a long time."
"Aunt Huang," Su Yingxue asked softly, her gaze never leaving Lu Linchuan's departing figure, "when did he start losing his appetite?"
“When I was getting a divorce from his father,” Huang Yifei sighed, her gaze drifting unconsciously to the window, “we agreed that we would separate when he went to university. But…” Her voice trailed off, “he started a hunger strike. At first he would eat a little, but then…” She shook her head, “he stopped eating altogether. He would vomit at the sight of food.”
"Hmm..." Su Yingxue nodded thoughtfully, her gaze falling on the almost untouched bowl of pork rib and lotus root soup.
"Speaking of which, this is the first time he hasn't vomited at the sight of food. I remember he loved this soup when he was little," Huang Yifei's gaze unconsciously fell on the bowl of soup, her eyes softening, "but now he won't even touch it."
“Not vomiting is progress,” Su Yingxue said thoughtfully, “At least the resistance is decreasing.” She looked at Huang Yifei, her eyes sparkling with inspiration, “Aunt Huang, I have an idea.”
Huang Yifei looked at her doubtfully: "Will this work?"
"Give it a try!" Su Yingxue said confidently, a determined smile playing on her lips.
The next morning, Lu Linchuan was carefully carried to the film set by bodyguards. Huang Yifei had already changed into her costume and was focused on portraying the role of Granny Zhou. Every smile, every gesture was just right, and her lines were delivered with a steady and powerful voice. Combined with her elegant demeanor, she brought the image of an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of palace banquets to life.
Lu Linchuan sat behind the prop box, his gaze mixed with confusion as he watched his mother's radiant appearance in front of the camera. He didn't understand why his mother had brought him to the film set so early in the morning, nor did he comprehend her every word and action.
Su Yingxue appeared silently beside him and handed him a glass of warm water. "Young Master," she asked casually, "what would you like for lunch?"
Lu Linchuan took the water glass, his fingers tightening slightly, but he didn't seem inclined to drink. "Whatever."
He turned his face away, his tone indifferent, but he knew in his heart that he wouldn't eat anything.
"I told Aunt Huang," Su Yingxue continued in a light tone, unfazed by his coldness, "that Dr. Wang is forbidden from giving you any more IV drips. Of course, he won't prepare any other meals for you either. You were hungry all afternoon yesterday, weren't you?"
She paused, then added casually, "The prawns yesterday were actually quite delicious; it would be a shame if you didn't try them. The lotus root soup was also excellent, so tender and smooth; you could taste the delicate fragrance of the lotus root with just a gentle sip. I think the lotus root is even better than the pork ribs, and the baby bok choy was good too; the shredded ham on top was the most fragrant."
Lu Linchuan remained silent, but the slight movement of his throat made Su Yingxue realize that he wasn't as stubborn as he appeared.
For three days straight, Lu Linchuan didn't eat a single bite of food, nor did he receive any nutritional injections. Su Yingxue sensed that he was becoming increasingly weak.
On the third day, while they were talking...
An accident occurred on set: a huge brown stone prop fell from the second floor, smashing straight at Huang Yifei. She didn't dodge and was knocked unconscious by the massive prop. Blood slowly flowed from her head.
Lu Linchuan abruptly stood up from behind the prop box, the brakes of his wheelchair screeching. He instinctively tried to lunge forward, but was stopped by a bodyguard behind him who grabbed his shoulder.
"Mom!" His voice lost control for the first time, trembling noticeably.
The set instantly descended into chaos. Su Yingxue rushed to the side of the unconscious Huang Yifei, only to see the award-winning actress squinting at her son's reaction—her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a faint smile lingered at the corners of her lips.
"Call an ambulance!" someone shouted. Lu Linchuan's pupils constricted sharply. He struggled to break free from the bodyguard's grasp: "Let me through...my mom..."
"Chuan'er..." Huang Yifei let out a weak groan at the opportune moment, her fingers trembling slightly as she clutched the sleeve of her costume beside her. "My head hurts so much... Can you eat something?"
This sound completely shattered Lu Linchuan's last shred of reason. He shoved the bodyguard aside, causing his wheelchair to tip over. Su Yingxue reacted swiftly, supporting his swaying body:
"Wh...what?" Lu Linchuan's voice was hoarse and barely audible. His cloudy gaze fell on Huang Yifei.
Taking the opportunity, Su Yingxue leaned closer to his ear: "Aunt Huang specially learned how to make pork rib and lotus root soup over three days so you would eat more. She got up at four in the morning to stew that bowl of lotus root soup." She pointed to the thermos in the corner, "She said... when you were little and had a fever, you would only drink the soup she made, and she said she would die without regrets."
Lu Linchuan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. He stiffly turned his head to look at the insulated container carefully guarded by the bodyguard, the faint aroma of lotus root mixed with the rich flavor of pork ribs wafting over.
Huang Yifei then "weakly" opened her eyes, her gaze meeting her son's across the crowd. She slowly raised her hand, her fingertips lightly touching her lips, then pointing to the bowl of soup.
Lu Linchuan's breathing became noticeably rapid. He suddenly pushed Su Yingxue away and slowly wheeled himself toward the bowl of steaming pork rib and lotus root soup. As the lid of the thermos was opened, the rising steam blurred his vision.
"I want... a spoon..." His low, hoarse voice startled the surrounding staff, who all held their breath.
Su Yingxue hurriedly handed over a disposable spoon, only to see Lu Linchuan already holding the bowl. When he took the first sip of soup, he visibly trembled, and the scalding soup slid down his chin, but he was completely unaware.
Huang Yifei watched her son wolf down his food and quietly wiped the corner of her eye. A subtle smile curved her lips—just like when Lu Linchuan used to sneak sips of the soup she made when they were little.
However, the two were too happy too soon. Lu Linchuan drank too fast, and the next second, he subconsciously felt like vomiting.
Su Yingxue rushed over, grabbed his hand, and covered his mouth! "You're not allowed to vomit! I have a big pot on the stove!"
Unexpectedly, Lu Linchuan swallowed it again.
Upon closer inspection, he realized Huang Yifei was unharmed; the giant stone prop was actually made of foam. The blood on Huang Yifei's body was also from the prop.
"Mom! I'm so glad you're alright." He managed to say these words, but the next second Lu Linchuan fainted.
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